The Third Sibling
by Anne Skywalker
Summary: Anne Skywalker was named for her father, Anakin. Stolen at birth, she was raised by the Empire Her bravery was overshadowed by her siblings, but this is Anne's story.
1. Default Chapter

Prologue

It was stormy, violently so, but that was nothing compared to the violent emotions flooding the four men waiting anxiously in a small wooden hut on the Moon of Endor. Faint screams could be heard from the next room, and they winced, but they knew there was nothing they could do about it.

It'd been a long three days. They'd brought Padme Amidala, nine months pregnant, to Endor so they hoped she could have a safe delivery. But with each crash of lightening, they imagined they saw the feared helmet of Lord Darth Vader. Their nerves were thin. They were safe. They had to be safe.

"Master Yoda." Obi-Wan said quietly, breaking the uneasy silence. "Is she alright?"  
Yoda, who was perhaps the only one who sat semi-calmly, sighed deeply, and concentrated. Then suddenly, he gave a faint smile. "Fine, Padme is. Take more than this to kill her, it will."

"And the children?" Mace Windu said in his deep voice. "What of them?"  
Yoda waved a hand. "Fine, fine they are. A boy and two girls, she has. See them, we will."

As if on cue, Eirtae, one of Padme's most loyal handmaidens, stepped out. "You can come in now." She said softly.

Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Yoda, and Bail Organa walked into the room where Padme had lain for three days. She gave them a weak smile when she saw them, the few people she could trust anymore. She held two wailing bundles, and Eirtae held a third.  
"Three?" Bail said.

Padme smiled. "Yes, three." She motioned to the boy. "This is Luke. And this is Leia." She motioned to the other. "The one that Eirtae is holding is Anne."

"Anne?"  
"After Anakin." Padme blushed furiously. She saw Obi-Wan wince, and she immediately felt bad to remind him of his former apprentice. But then he forced a smile and stepped forward. "They're beautiful, Padme. The girls look just like you."

"And Luke, looks like his father, he does." Yoda said gravelly. He looked directly at Obi-Wan. "Blame yourself, you should not. Embraced the dark side, Vader has. Now look we to the future."  
Obi-Wan didn't say anything. But Mace Windu looked at Padme. "Milady, as we previously agreed, I think it would be safer if the children were separated to grow up. That way, they might not attract the attention of the Empire."

Padme nodded sadly. She'd known that her children would most likely be taken away from her, but the reality of it hit her hard. Bail Organa smiled gently, and reached to her to take Leia. "She will stay with me on Alderaan." He said softly. "You needn't worry, Padme. She'll be fine."  
"I trust you." Padme whispered, and then Leia, her daughter, was gone.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I know someone on Tatooine. Owen Lars, Anakin's stepbrother. He'll be safe with him. I know it. And I'll stay there to watch over him. Maybe I can correct a little of the wrong I have created."

Obi-Wan took Luke, her only son. Padme felt as though her heart would burst in two, but she knew she had to be strong. Eirtae handed Anne, her youngest, to Padme. "Milady."

Mace and Yoda looked at each other. "Padme, I think that maybe, your youngest might be safe with you." Mace said.

Padme suddenly smiled brilliantly and her heart soared, and she hugged Anne tightly. "Thank you." She said fervently. "Thank you so much."

Yoda smiled. _Nothing more precious than mother and child, there is._ He thought.

"Leave you, we will. Give you time alone to celebrate your children…and to mourn the loss of Anakin." Yoda said. "See we will Obi-Wan and Bail off safely. Be back soon, we will."  
And then two of the last three Jedi left. Padme was left alone in the darkness of the hut, cradling her child and crooning. "It's okay, Mommy's here."  
Padme had always been strong. She'd been the mature Queen, the passionate Senator, but motherhood was something new to her. She hoped she'd be a good mother.

Suddenly, the room went completely dark, and a satanic, rhythmic breathing filled her ears. She gasped as she realized the only person this could be. "Lord Vader!"  
He appeared in front of her bed, a Sith lord clad in black armor, and a breathing mask. A uniform he was forced to wear after a terrible battle with his former Master. In the dimness he looked like the angel of death, and Padme hugged Anne protectively to her chest. She refused to let fear overcome her. For several long minutes, neither of them said anything.

"How did you find me?" She asked finally.

"Nobody in the galaxy can hide from a Sith." Vader rumbled in way of an answer. "And we don't reveal our tracking methods to anybody."  
"Not even me? Anakin, you used to love me!"  
"Don't call me that! That's not my name!" Vader rumbled. "Anakin Skywalker is dead!"  
"No! No he's not!" Padme screamed. "He's still a part of you! Anakin! Please come back to me!"  
"Silence!" Vader yelled, and he slapped a roughly gloved hand across Padme's face. She gasped as her face bruised. Anne began to wail.

Vader swept up Anne in one huge hand, and she screamed even harder. Padme felt her strength return to her. This monster, this Sith was going to take her child away from her!  
She leapt up at Vader and threw herself at him. She was still horribly weak, but it didn't matter to her. The Queen and Senator rose up in her again.

She never stood a chance, Vader stood calmly and held out his other hand, and suddenly, Padme began to convulse. She struggled as invisible talons choked her neck, and she slowly backed away from him. "Anakin." She gasped. "I…I love…"  
She never finished. She collapsed on the floor, and it was over. Padme Amidala Naberrie-Skywalker was dead.

Vader merely blinked. He gripped the child even harder, and he calmly stepped out of the hut, back into the rain. His Master was waiting.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars…not making any money off of this…

Note: I know that most 'third sibling' or 'hidden character' stories are pretty stupid, but please give me a chance! I think that you'll like how this ends up. wink

Seventeen Years Later…

My name is Anne Skywalker. It's important that I begin to write down the events that are taking place, because I believe the dispute between the Empire and the Rebellion is about to explode. But if the Emperor knew that I wrote this…it could well mean my death.

Not like he's not already tried to kill me. I don't know why he hates me so much. I'm nobody. I've been with the Empire all of my life, I don't remember anything about my parents or my home, although I suppose I must have had them at one point.

I am Lord Vader's Hand. His only one, actually. The Emperor has several, and maybe it's because I'm the only one that he hates me. I don't know, and I don't care. My loyalties are to Lord Vader and I tell you this.

I will never bow to the Emperor.

A new day has begun. I dress simply, in a plain brown robe. I don't have a mirror, but I don't need one to know what I look like. My hair is mousy brown and I usually keep in wrapped in a braid around my head, and my eyes are blue. I'm plain enough that I don't think I'll attract any officer's attention, and I don't really want to.

I step out into the corridor of the Death Star. A platoon of Storm Troopers marches past me, and they nod their heads as I walk between them. I go to the Bridge of the Death Star, where I see the tall and forbidding figure of Darth Vader pacing back and forth. I take a deep breath. Just because I'm loyal to him doesn't mean I'm not afraid of him.

"My Lord." I acknowledged him as I got closer. I bowed.

The dark figure turned around, and touched my shoulder. "Anne, arise." Vader commanded, as he lifted my chin up. I fought back a series of shivers as he touched me. A horrible feeling like uncontrollable chills or shaking tortures me every time Vader is near me, but when he actually touches me, it's enough to make a normal human pass out.

I stand up slowly, and follow his gaze out into the stars. "Where are we?" I asked finally.

"Near the system of Tatooine." Vader rumbled. He pointed to a faint star. "There it is. We've closed off a nearby system, and a Rebel blockade runner passed through it deliberately, ignoring all warnings. And plans for this station have disappeared, after being beamed to that ship. We have an Imperial cruiser being prepared to go and meet them."

"Am I going?"  
"No!" Vader said sharply, and he swung around to look at me sharply. I took an unconscious step back. His mechanical breathing seemed to get louder and faster, although I knew it wasn't possible. The sound etched deep into my bones.

I shook slightly, "I…I need to go."  
I turned to go.

"No." Vader said yet again, and I paused. "I want to show you something."

He started to walk off the bridge, and I followed him. He led me to a small room on the ninth floor. It was completely bare, there wasn't anything in it at all.

I looked up at Vader nervously. "What is this?" I asked.

Vader ignored me, and he stepped into the room. "Here, Anna." He said after a minute. "Here is where you will learn to control your anger, to use it when you seek revenge, and to use it when you feel most alone."

He didn't wait for me to answer, but withdrew a pair of binders from his belt and sat them in the middle of the room. "Move them." He said.

I was confused, so I went up to the binders and reached down to move them.  
"No." Vader growled. "Move them with your mind."  
"What? I can't do that!" I said, shocked. "That's impossible!"  
Vader hit me then, so hard that I went spiraling across the room. I bit back a sob as I felt the skin on my face bruising. "Use your anger!" Vader said gruffly. "Concentrate! Use your anger to move the binders!"

I felt it then, a small bubbling inside of me. I looked at the binders. I grabbed onto the white hot heat gathering strength inside me as I looked up at Vader and touched my bruised cheek. Hatred began to flame within me and my face scrunched up in concentration. I could feel the heat rising on my face. But the binders didn't move. I screamed.

"Use your anger!" Vader commanded. "Move the binders! Move them!"  
"I'm…I'm trying!" I screamed. Hot energy was bubbling up through me, gathering strength as it did…I thought I was going to burst…  
I screamed again, and white hot lightening burst from my fingertips, spiraling everywhere in the room. Vader lifted a hand and the lightening went careening away from him.

As soon as the smoke cleared, Vader stepped forward. "Impressive, Anne. Very impressive. I think we'll leave it at that for today."

And he turned around and left.

I stood there shaking. What the hell had just happened? I could still feel the tingle in my hands from the lightning. Where had that come from? What was that force inside me? I knew I wouldn't get any answers from Vader.

I shook my head. _Get a hold of yourself, Anne._

I stepped out of the training room. Lord Vader was already gone. I turned around a corner, and heard two troopers talking. "What can Lord Vader be thinking, training her to be his apprentice?"  
I gasped, and quickly clamped a hand on my mouth. I ducked behind the blast doors as two Storm Troopers stepped through.

"The Emperor will not forgive him for this." The first one continued.

"You know that he can't bear to see her suffer. She's his…"  
"Shh!" The first one shushed him as he saw me. I managed to pretend like I'd been looking for a control panel to shut the door. "Aren't you supposed to be on the ship leaving to intercept the Rebels?" I asked my voice a little too shrilly.

"Yes, ma'am." The second trooper said.

"Then go!"

"Yes ma'am!" And they were gone.

My stomach now felt slightly sick. I leaned against the blast doors that had just closed. Maybe it had just been that lightning that was getting to me. I decided to go back to my rooms for the rest of the day; I didn't feel good at all.

But deep down, I knew that wasn't what was bothering me. I knew that something else was going on that no one was telling me, and it was making me sick with fear. Fear that my life was going to change, and in a worse way.

I stumbled almost blindly down the endless corridors, until I found myself buried under my thin blanket aboard a space station, controlled by one of the most feared men in the galaxy.

Later

"Anne! Where're you going?"  
I stopped, and winced. Governor Tarkin walked up to me. He was second to Lord Vader, and second only to the Emperor when it came to people I feared. Tarkin was cold, calculating, and evil just radiated off of him. A feeling…I noticed suddenly, that I didn't always sense from Lord Vader.

"Back to my rooms." I managed to say. "I trust there's no rule against that?"  
Tarkin's eyes narrowed. It was a dangerous game we played, a battle of wits that was forever ongoing. "No, but maybe you need an escort, to make sure you don't lose your way?" He smirked. I knew he didn't give two space Hutts about me getting lost.

"Oh, but I wouldn't want to bother anyone." I said sweetly. "I'll be fine."  
I started to walk off, but Tarkin called. "There's a new prisoner coming in. She's a high ranking Senator."  
I turned.

"Really?" I said, not really interested. "What's her name?"  
"Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan."

Kinda weird…I know…It's going to get better!


	3. Chapter Two

I'm sorry it took so long to update. I was involved in a musical at my school, but now that's over it's back to the story!  
thanks for the reviews!

Leia of Alderaan, I discovered, was supposedly the leader of the Rebellion. She was seventeen, the same age as me. And, I also discovered, there were many who wanted her dead.

"Princess Leia is on list to be terminated." Tarkin said to his officer. "If she fails to provide us with the location of the rebel base, more drastic measures may have to be taken."  
I looked up from where I was sitting, not too far away. "What?"

The word battle was about to begin. "Could I meet the Princess?" I asked.

"No." Tarkin said immediately. "It's been forbidden that you meet Princess Leia."  
I was confused. "But why?"  
"Reasons of state." He said bitterly. "Reasons have nothing to do with you."  
"But if they have nothing to do with me, why can't I visit her?" I said, logically. "Maybe I could get her to tell me the location of the rebel base."  
He squinted at me. "You would do this?"

I nodded. I didn't know if I really would or not, but I felt strangely compassionate for this woman I'd never met, and I felt a strange need to protect her. If I could only warn her of the danger she was in…

"No." Tarkin said after a minute. "Lord Vader specially forbade your contact with her, and I will not go against his word."

"I understand." I said, trying to sound patient. "But if you'd just let me meet the princess, maybe I could…"  
"No one is permitted to visit the Princess." Tarkin said, his tone suggesting he wanted to end the conversation. "That's final."

I glared at him, and turned on my heel and walked out. I could feel the bubbling anger building up in me again, and as I walked by a window that led out to space, I could a glimpse of myself.

My appearance shocked me. Rage and hate was dripping from my face and I almost thought I could see red flame in my eyes. I unconsciously released my hands I hadn't realized that I was clenching; and I took a deep breath and tried to quell the anger in me. Gradually, I changed back to normal.

I was really shaken. I remembered back two days ago to the incident in the room with Vader. When I'd exploded like that, had I appeared so malign, so evil? The thought chilled me, and I vowed then and there to never let myself get that angry again.

I suddenly heard footsteps behind me, and as was my habit, I ducked out of view. I recognized the heavy sound of Lord Vader, but the second person had a lighter stride, not like a Storm Trooper, or an officer. Who could it be?

Sure enough, Lord Vader passed by me, pushing a beautiful young woman in front of her. She was clothed entirely in white, and her brown hair was wrapped into two buns around her head. She had a dignity about her that I found amazing, and when Vader pushed her, she didn't break her stride. She simply took a slight breath, and walked on. I knew instantly that it was Princess Leia.

They passed out of my vision, and I crept out. I decided to follow them, since this may be the only chance I got to see her alive, and maybe warn her.

I was about twenty feet behind them when they entered the bridge of the Death Star. Governor Tarkin was waiting for them.

"Governor Tarkin." Leia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I should have expected to fine you here holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board."  
I stared at her in wonder. Even I was not so bold to talk to Tarkin that way when my life was on the line like that. This woman was fearless. I crept into the bridge, and off to the right, only a couple of feet from the regal girl.

Clearly, Tarkin was taken off guard for a second too. But then the oily countenance appeared again. "Charming. You don't know how hard I found it signing the order to terminate your life."  
"I'm surprised you had the courage to take the responsibility yourself." She shot back.

I'd seen enough of Tarkin to know that he was losing patience. He turned back to the wide window. "Princess Leia, before your execution, I would like you to be my guest at a ceremony that will make this battle station operational." He waved his arms around as if to show something wonderful, when all I saw was a couple of men trying to intimidate a young woman. I seethed.

"No star system will dare oppose the Emperor now." He continued.

"The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers." Leia said bravely.

"Not after we demonstrate the full power of this station. In a way, you have determined the choice of the planet that will be destroyed first. Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the rebel base, I've decided to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan."

"No." Leia said; sounding scared for the first time. "Alderaan is peaceful, we have no weapons, you can't possibly…"  
"You would prefer another target? A military target? Then name the system!"

Leia was trapped. I knew it. She knew it. She didn't say anything. Tarkin took a step forward and she backed up until she was touching Darth Vader, who had remained silent throughout this whole ordeal, almost as if he didn't want to be a part of it.

"I grow tired of asking this." Tarkin said, breathing down onto Leia. "So it will be for the last time. Where is the rebel base?"

Leia looked past him to Alderaan. I felt myself praying…I could almost feel someone's hand on my shoulder comforting me, but there was nobody there…  
"Dantooine." She whispered. "They're on Dantooine."  
"There, you see Lord Vader, she can be reasonable. Continue with the operation, you may fire when ready."  
The bottom of my stomach dropped out. "What!" Leia screamed.

Tarkin turned all smiles. "You're far too trusting. Dantooine is too remote to make an effective demonstration, but don't worry. We'll deal with your rebel friends soon enough."  
"No!"

"Commence primary ignition." I heard over the com.

I put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked at me, her eyes brimming tears. "It'll be okay." I whispered.

I inhaled my breath sharply…

There's nothing as horrible as the sound of a million people dying. It cuts through your bones, and deep into your soul. There was no escaping the sound of the explosion. And a spasm of pain hit me as death came to the planet Alderaan. Leia never cried out, but I could feel her pain and sorrow as sharply as if it was my own. Then, everything went black.

Later

I'd fainted. And that's where I woke up, because Vader and Tarkin had no sympathy for me, and they left me there. I was woozy at first, but I slowly got up on my feet.

Rubbing my head, I left the bridge. I walked by the main hangar where incoming ships have to dock. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a weird disk shaped ship docked there, and Lord Vader standing by it, inspecting it, but I didn't care. All I wanted to do was get to my quarters and sleep.

But this, however, didn't happen. I walked by the meeting room where Tarkin had met with the officials on the Death Star a couple of days ago, and I heard a whistle. I whirled around. "Who's there?" I said, nervous.

"Come here, girl." Came an elderly mans voice.

Frowning in confusion, I ducked into the meeting room. And that's where I met him.

He was dressed simply, in a sand colored suit with a dark brown belt. He wore a brown hood over this outfit, and I could see a small metal cylinder dangling from his belt. He had white hair, a white beard, and kind, intelligent eyes. He smiled.

"Anne? Is it really you?" He said softly. "It's been so long."  
"Who…who are you?"

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. And I need your help."


End file.
